Train-order-signal lock and register.



No. 782,160. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905. D. 0. MITCHELL.

TRAIN ORDER SIGNAL LOOK AND REGISTER.

APPLICATION FILED APB..14, 1904.

2 SHEBTS-BHBBT l.

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No. 782,160. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905. D. O. MITCHELL.

TRAIN ORDER SIGNAL LOCK AND REGISTER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 14, 1904.

2 SKEETS-SHEET 2.

TJNHED STATES Patented February 7, 1905.

PATENT Fries,

TRAlN-OFlDER-SIGNAL LOCK AND REGISTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 782,160, dated February '7, 1905.

Application filed April 14,1904. Serial No. 203.213.

.1 'o v r-F/ u-imm if may concern/.-

Be it known that I, DENNIS O. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baxterville, in the county of Marion, State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train-Order-Signal Locks and Registers; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to train-signals such as are employed at stations along a railway for indicating a clear track or an obstructed track or to signal a stop for any purpose, the object of the invention being to provide means for insuring against failure of a station agent to properly signal a train for delivery of a train-order, other objects and advantages of the invention having reference to details which will be understood from the following description.

In the ('lrawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is an elevation Showingasignal having the present safety mechanism connected therewith. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 '2 of Fig. 1 including one of the hooks for holding an order-board. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the lower shaft, the plate that carries the order-board hooks, and thelocking-plate, which is actuated by a release-hook, to hold the shaft and the signal against movement, a portion of the locking plate being broken away. Fig. at is a section through the locking-plate and one of the locking-sprockets. Fig. 5 is a section taken longitudinally through one of the upper shafts. Fig. 6 is a section on line (3 t; of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown or indicated a portion of the wall 10 of a railway station or depot and a semaphorearm 11, which is swung into and out of danger position by manipulation of the usual cable 12, which passes into the station. There illustrated also a semaphore-signal lever or arm 11, from which leads a cable 12, the two scmaphore-arms being designed for signaling trains in opposite directions on two tracks.

The cables 12 and 12 are attached to levers 13 and 13, which are lixed to rock-shafts 14: and 1 t, which are journaled in suitable brackets 15, secured to the wall 10, so that by operating these levers their corresponding semaphore-arms will be moved into corresponding positionsthat is, when either lever projects horizontally the semaphore-arm is in danger position and as the lever is swung downwardly the arm is moved to safe position. As the semaphore is operated for each train, a register connected with each of the rockshafts may be arranged to register the number of trains each day. Such a register is mounted upon each of the rock-shafts and consists of a drum 16, having ratchet-teeth 17 upon one end face, with which cooperates a springpawl 19, carried by the rockshaft and disposed to engage the teeth to carry the drum with the shaft in one direction and to move freely in the opposite direction over the teeth to permit of return movement without the drum. To insure against return movement ofthe drum with the shaft, the drum is provided with a ratchet-hub 18, with which cooperates a retaining pawl 19, suitably mounted, but which may be raised from the ratchet-teeth to permit of return rotation of the hub at the end of the day. The drum 16 is provided with a series of consecutive numbers, as illustrated, and each time the rocklever is actuated to swing the semaphore-arm from horizontal position to vertical position the drum is advanced one number, a casing 20 being provided, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and having openings 21, therein to permit ofsight -01 a single number on each drum. Thus by referring to the apparatus the number of trains that have passed may be learned.

Below the rock-shafts 11 and 14 is a plate 23,having trunnions 2 t and .25 at its ends, upon which are rotatalr ly mounted sprocket-wheels 26 and 26', with which are engaged sprocketchains 2'7 and 27, respectively, which are engaged also with sprocket-wheels 28 and 28, respectively, on the shafts 14C and 1%, respectively, and which latter sprocket-wheels are rotatable with their shafts, so that as the rock shafts are rocked or oscillated the lower sprocket-wheels will be correspondingly moved, and by holding these lower sprockets, which will be termed locking-sprockets, the rock-shafts, the rock-levers, and therewith the semaphore-arms, will be held against movement. The trunnions of the plate 23 are squared at their ends and engage in brackets 26 and 27 to hold the plate in horizontal position, and perforations 29 are formed through the plate adjacent to its front edge. In each of the perforations 29 is slidably engaged the stem 30 of ahook 31, the stem passing through the plate and having a head 32 at its upper end, between which and the plate and encircling the stem is disposed a helical spring 33, which serves or tends to hold the hook normally in raised position, with the extremity of its bill against the bottom of the plate 23. A plurality of order-boards 33 are provided, one for each hook, and these order-boards have eyes 34 at their upper ends for engagement with the hooks and which when thus engaged hold the hooks in lowered positions with the heads at the upper ends of the stems in close relation to the upper face of the plate 23. \Vhen anyone of the order-boards is removed, its corresponding hook rises. In the hub of each of the locking-sprockets is formed a locking-notch 35. In the brackets 26 and 27 are journaled the outwardly-turned ends of a U-shaped locking-plate 37, the central portion of which lies over the heads at the upper ends of the stems of the hooks, and projecting from the outwardly-turned end portions of the locking-plate in the opposite direction from or at the opposite sides of the central portion of the plate are locking-fingers which engage the locking-notches in the locking-sprockets when the central portion of the locking-plate is raised by upward movement of any one of the hooks under the influence of its helical spring.

hen a train-order is received, the board for that train is removed from its hook and the train-order attached in the usual manner. When the semaphore-arm is set .to stop the train, the locking-sprockets are shifted with their locking-notches into proper positions, and the locking-plate is then actuated by upward movement of the vacant hook to lock the mechanism and prevent movement of the semaphore-arm to the clear position. The train cannot then be given a clear track until the order-board is returned to the hook, and the necessity for releasing the semaphoreoperating mechanism will insure against the agent forgetting the order board and the delivery of the order to the train. After the delivery of the order theboard is hung up and the signal shifted to permit the train to proceed.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a signal and an order-board rack having means for holding individual order-boards, of a locking mechanism, operable by removal of a board from the rack to hold the signal against movement.

2. The combination with a signal, of an operating-lever connected therewith, a springsustained hook adapted to receive an orderboard and to be held in lowered position under the influence thereof, and a lockingmechanism for the lever including an element disposed for movement by the released hook into active position.

3. The combination with a signal, of an operating-lever connected therewith, a rockshaft with which the lever is connected, an indicating-drum upon the rock-shaft and provided with rat-chets, an actuating-pawl carried by the rock-shaft and disposed for engagement with one of the ratchets to rotate the drum, a retaining-pawl disposed in active relation to the second ratchet, an oscillatory locking member connected with the rock-shaft for oscillation therefrom, a second locking member disposed for engagement with the first locking member to hold the latter fixed, and a plurality of spring-sustained orderboard hangers adapted when in raised positions to individually hold the second locking member in engagement with the first locking member, said hangers being movable under the influence of the order-boards to release said second locking member.

In testimony whereof Iafiix m y signature in presence of two witnesses.

DENNIS O. MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

V. H. SUTTLEs, F. P. LAWLESS. 

